1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pedal device for automobiles with pedal levers that are neighboring each other, and with assembly locations for the sensor units that detect the pedal positions, which each include at least one stationary sensor head and at least one movable sensor element that is kinematically linked to the pedal lever, which is arranged in the effective range of the respective sensor head.
2. Description of Related Art
Such a device is described, for instance, in the German patent application 19958241.6, according to which the sensor unit is embodied as an inductive distance sensor, the stationary sensor head of which is embodied as a coil component, and the sensor element is embodied as a metal component. The coil component and an electronic conversion unit for its output signal are fastened on a mutual carrier component.
Furthermore it is common that, for instance, a clutch pedal and a neighboring braking pedal are combined in a mutual body, on which the pedal levers are supported.
Further, a rotary angle sensor has been known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,253,635, in which a pedal lever is rotatably linked with the sensor, which is usually a rotary potentiometer, with the circumferential displacement of a rotary sensor element being detected by means of a slide contact.